Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program Benefits
What is Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP)
About the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP)
Types of CCP Grants
The CCP provides supplemental funding to state, territory, or tribal mental health authorities through two grant programs:
- The Immediate Services Program (ISP) grant provides funding for up to 60 days after a presidential disaster declaration.
- The Regular Services Program (RSP) grant provides funding for up to nine months after a presidential disaster declaration.
To learn more about program milestones and managing a CCP, access the CCP Resource Toolkit.
Who is eligible for Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program?
In order to be eligible for services under this grant program, an individual must be a resident of the designated area declared by the President to be a major disaster area, or must have been in the designated area at the time the disaster occurred.
CCP Goals and Principles
The CCP helps people recover and rebuild their lives after a disaster. The CCP supports short-term interventions that involve the following counseling goals:
- Helping disaster survivors understand their current situation and reactions
- Reducing stress and providing emotional support
- Assisting survivors in reviewing their disaster recovery options
- Promoting the use or development of coping strategies
- Connecting survivors with other people and agencies who can help them in their recovery process
The CCP follows key principles that make it different from other survivor support programs. The CCP is:
- Strengths-based: CCP services promote resilience, empowerment, and recovery.
- Anonymous: Crisis counselors do not classify, label, or diagnose people. No records or case files are kept.
- Outreach-oriented: Crisis counselors deliver services in the communities rather than wait for survivors to seek their assistance.
- Conducted in nontraditional settings: Crisis counselors make contact in homes and communities, not in clinical or office settings.
- Designed to strengthen existing community support systems: The CCP supplements, but does not end or replace, existing community systems.
Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program Services
The CCP offers services to disaster survivors in their homes, shelters, temporary living sites, or houses of worship. Funded CCP services include:
- Individual and group crisis counseling
- Basic supportive or educational contact
- Community networking and support
- Assessments, referrals, and resources
- Development and distribution of educational materials
- Media and public service announcements
Services are expected to transition from the CCP to existing community resources as the program phases out.
Disaster Response Template Toolkit
The Disaster Response Template Toolkit is a helpful resource for CCPs and other disaster behavioral health programs. The toolkit includes print materials, website and social media content, and multimedia materials that can be used during outreach and recovery efforts. Also available are sample materials and online tools used in previous disasters across the country. The templates can be adapted, as needed, for use in any community’s program. To access the toolkit, visit -Disaster Response Template.
Apply for Funding
States, U.S. territories, and federally recognized tribes can apply for the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP) after the President has issued a major disaster declaration for their area. For more details on presidential disaster declarations, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers procedural information on the declaration process and a list of disaster declarations.
Once a major disaster is declared, the SAMHSA DTAC team will contact state, territory, or tribal mental health authorities for the affected areas within 24 hours. DTAC staff will share information about the CCP and support you in the application process. Before applying, decide which CPP grant program best suits the needs of your community:
- The Immediate Services Program (ISP) is designed to provide short-term support. ISP applications are due within 14 days of a presidential major disaster declaration.
- The Regular Services Program (RSP) is designed to meet ongoing needs for up to nine months. RSP applications are due within 60 days of a presidential major disaster declaration.
The CCP may last a year or longer if you apply for the RSP in addition to the ISP.